Eastern State Hospital (Kentucky) facts for kids

Eastern State Hospital, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is one of the oldest hospitals in the United States that helps people with mental health challenges. It is the second oldest of its kind. Today, it works as a hospital with 239 beds where patients can stay overnight for treatment. The state of Kentucky owns Eastern State Hospital. It is managed by UK HealthCare, which is part of the University of Kentucky. The state's health department also oversees it.

History of Eastern State Hospital

An article from 1830 about a hospital for mental health.

Before 1824, people in Kentucky with mental health issues often stayed with families or were sent to a hospital in Virginia. In 1816, a group of people in Lexington wanted to create a hospital called Fayette Hospital. It was meant to help poor, disabled, and "lunatic" members of society. A building was started, and Henry Clay spoke at its opening ceremony in 1817. However, the building was never finished or used.

On December 7, 1822, Kentucky's government passed a law to create a "Lunatic Asylum." Ten acres of land and the unfinished Fayette Hospital building were bought. The hospital officially opened, and its first patient was admitted on May 1, 1824.

In the early years, the hospital mainly provided a safe place for people who were very ill. There was no medical staff working directly at the hospital. Doctors from the community or Transylvania University helped with serious medical problems.

New Approaches to Care

In 1844, Eastern State Hospital got its first full-time medical leader, Dr. John Rowan Allen. From then on, the hospital always had a director. This change started a time of "moral treatment." This meant the staff tried to treat patients with kindness and understanding. They worked to reduce the use of restraints like straitjackets and chains.

Dorothea Dix, a famous person who cared about improving treatment for people with mental illness, visited the hospital in 1847 and 1858.

After the American Civil War, the hospital faced challenges. More patients were admitted, leading to overcrowding. The use of restraints came back. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, treatment methods changed often. The staff always tried to give the best care with the knowledge and money they had. Because it was the only hospital of its kind nearby, Eastern State Hospital took patients from all over Kentucky and even other states.

Modern Treatments and Changes

In the 1940s, new treatments like electric shock therapy were introduced. In the early 1950s, insulin therapy was used. By 1954, new calming medicines were discovered. These medicines helped many patients, and insulin therapy was stopped by 1957.

In 1945, the hospital was very crowded with 2,000 patients. Even in 1967, there were over 1,000 patients. Eastern State Hospital used to be a bit isolated from the community. Many employees lived on the hospital grounds. Patients often helped with the hospital's daily work. They did farm work, helped with cleaning, cooking, laundry, and maintenance. The hospital grew much of its own food on its land. At one point, Eastern State Hospital had 400 acres. In 1956, over 300 acres were sold to IBM. Today, the hospital grounds are 88 acres.

In 1993, a non-profit group called Bluegrass Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board, Inc. worried the hospital might close. Many states were closing inpatient facilities to save money. This group worked to take over the hospital's management. They planned with patients, families, staff, and state officials.

In September 1995, Bluegrass Regional MH-MR started managing Eastern State Hospital. This happened after almost two years of talks with the state of Kentucky.

In 2013, the state government decided that UK HealthCare should operate the hospital. This was to help with the hospital's growing services. On September 13, 2013, UK Healthcare signed a contract to manage the hospital. Governor Steve Beshear approved this contract later that year.

Former Names of the Hospital

Eastern State Hospital has had many names over the years:

• Fayette Hospital (1817–1822)
• Lunatic Asylum (1822–1844)
• The Kentucky Lunatic Asylum (1844–1849)
• Lunatic Asylum of Kentucky (1850–1852)
• The Lunatic Asylum (1850–1852)
• The Eastern Lunatic Asylum (1852–1855)
• The Eastern Lunatic Asylum of Kentucky (1855–1858)
• The Kentucky Eastern Lunatic Asylum (1858–1864)
• Eastern Lunatic Asylum (1864–1867)
• The Kentucky Eastern Lunatic Asylum (1867–1873)
• The First Kentucky Lunatic Asylum (1873–1876)
• Eastern Kentucky Lunatic Asylum (1876–1894)
• Eastern Kentucky Asylum for the Insane (1894–1912)
• Eastern State Hospital (1912–present)

Location and New Facilities

The hospital used to have three main buildings for patient treatment: The Main Building (part of which was the original structure), the Wendell Building (opened in 1953), and the Allen Building (opened in 1957).

In the 1960s, community mental health centers grew across Kentucky. These centers treated many people as outpatients, meaning they did not need to stay at the hospital. This helped reduce the number of people needing to be admitted to Eastern State Hospital. In 1970, Kentucky's state mental institutions changed how they placed patients. Instead of placing them by their problem, patients were placed based on the area of the state they came from. This made it easier for staff to communicate. In 1975, the hospital was reorganized again to focus on patient needs.

On September 10, 2013, the hospital moved to a brand new facility. This new building cost $129 million and can house about 125–175 patients. It is one large building with three tall, three-story towers. These towers are named Gragg, Allen, and Wendell, after the old buildings from the previous campus. Most of the original buildings were torn down by December 2013. Only the administration and laundry buildings remain, even though some tried to save them.

Cemetery

From 1824 until 1954, patients who were unknown, whose families could not afford to take them home, or who were not claimed were buried on the hospital property. The cemeteries were moved at least twice to their current spot behind the Hope Center in 1984. The state believes about 4,400 people are buried there, but the actual number might be higher. The number of unmarked graves on the property is not known. If any remains are found during future work on the property, they will be re-buried in this cemetery.

See also

• Albert B. Chandler Hospital